Pain-Free Running

My most immediate goal is now only twenty eight days away. On Saturday April 24th I will run in the Crazylegs Classic. It's a great race and should be a lot of fun. I ran in it once before, probably about ten years ago, back when I was in a lot better shape than I am now. It starts on the Capital Square, circles the Capital, and then heads down State Street. After running up Observatory Drive, the course winds along the Lake Mendota shoreline, finishing five miles later in the middle of Camp Randall Stadium.

A week ago five miles seemed a long way off. However, after running four times this week, I feel much better about the Crazylegs. Slowly I am making progress. Yesterday I ran 2.1 miles, the day after I had run three. It has been a long time since I have been able to run on consecutive days, and the first time I ran three miles since last fall. After a cold Wisconsin winter I am a little heavy, about eight pounds more than I was on the last weekend in September. The extra weight makes running a bit challenging. But gradual progress is being made, in both the running and the weight loss.

The most promising aspect of my last two runs however is that I ran pain free. For years I have struggled with shin splints, since high school actually. Usually it's only a problem in my right shin, but still when it is bad, running is not an option. Recently, during my runs I have stayed mentally focused on my stride and my foot placement. No longer am I lifting off my toes, but am instead trying to be mindful about landing on my mid-foot and trying to lift my foot by bending at the knee. I am trying to stride horizontally rather than vertically. Flowing, not bouncing. It's encouraging. I am at the point now where I believe I can add some mileage to my run, and that all starts with healthy shins.

The Center Must Hold

My training has taken an early detour. Still running, got the bike tuned up, and seem to be getting outside everyday. But I am actually going at this fitness thing quite slowly, with the sole purpose of creating a strong foundation now, in order to gain strength and stamina later.

The more I read ChiRunning the more intrigued I become. At this point, when I run my shins still hurt, and just as Dreyer predicted, my stamina is actually getting worse. Currently my runs are a slow 30 minutes. Intentionally and pragmatically. I am not worried about speed or distance...only my posture. As I type this entry I sit with my belly pulled in, my collarbone stretched high, and my pelvis set into its proper place (Never really realized the pelvis had a proper place). More importantly, I run (or at least I try) holding my column straight. Constantly I check the position of my posture, the lean of my gait, and the manner in which I lift my feet. It's tiring. It's hard to stay focused. And yet I love the way this running philosophy forces me to stay tuned into my body. The way it encourages me to let my spine and my abdomensto do the work. On my last couple runs I have hit an effortless stride for several minutes. Just haven't been able to sustain it. Good runs are coming! Just gotta stay focused.

Yet as I wait for those good runs to return I am working to change my stride. I am trying to bounce, not plod around the streets. I am trying to land on the balls of my feet and then pick them up, not land, roll and push off my tippy-toes. Leaving the ground from your toes is bad! So I am told. My arms and legs should follow the center of my body. The center does the work...the arms and legs just move along beside it. Build the core, strengthen the center, find the true power in the body. It's really that simple.

In the meantime, I continue to get outside every day, and I continue to push for more strength and stamina. It's a long journey!

Effortless, Injury-Free Running: If It Works, I'm Buying It!

Over the past week it has become obvious that our days on the snow are likely over for this ski season. After about eight days of high temperatures well over the freezing mark, and the last three in the upper 40's, it is time to turn my attention to dry-land training; subsequently, my thoughts have turned to running and bicycling.

Although I enjoy running I have two physical issues that I constantly battle while trying to run: shin splints and recovery time. The shin splints have been a problem since high school, and the extra time necessary to recover is likely a direct link to my age.

Knowing that I am going to need to log many miles before next ski season, I began searching the internet for tips on both prevention of injury and reducing recovery time. On Amazon.com I stumbled across a book called ChiRunning by Danny Dreyer. ChiRunning bases itself on a set of principles that helps run and train in a more effortless and efficient manner. Exactly the kind of running that I am looking for.

Dreyer believes that injuries, recovery time, and most all physically related conflicts with running are not a product of running itself, but are instead a product of poor form and an unfocused mindset. He makes a compelling case. Dreyer provides multiple examples of how runners use the concepts of T'ai Chi to enhance both the mental and physical aspects of a running and fitness plan.

In explaining his thesis he discusses how T'ai Chi teaches its students to direct movements from points along the spine. The strength of our body originates along this center line and not along the peripherals. He argues that if the strength of a tree is along its trunk, and not its branches and leaves, then the strength of a human body should also be along its trunk. Or its spine! Makes sense to me.

I've always known the importance of strengthening my core, but I also know that I spend more time working on my cardiovascular than I do my foundational strength. But the case Dreyer makes that I find so interesting is that not only should our core be strengthened, but also that all the running we do should originate from this core (the base of the spine) and not from the legs. We should run moving from our center, and letting the arms and legs follow. We should run with a sense of power and connection in our body. He is clear that injuries in running happen because we don't understand our bodies and that we run with our legs and not our spines. Giving attention to the direction of our spine, to the lean in our run, and to the placement of our feet will provide a better balance between our movement and our effort. Simply put we will feel less pain!

In the book Dreyer specifically addresses the two issues I struggle with: chin splints and recovery. He reiterates that chin splints are a cause of bad form and nothing else. Yesterday before my run I went carefully though his approach. I considered my posture and practiced his exercises. I tried to visualize the way in which I need to hold my body, the manner in which I need to lift my feet. It is way too early to know whether or not there is anything to this ChiRunning idea, but what I do know is that I am excited about trying to connect my mind and my body. And I am especially interested in running without have to deal with chin splints!

TODAY!

The Winner: Fabio Santus of Italy.
He finished the 50 km in 1:56:58.6. He averaged 15 mph. Are you kidding me?

Sweet Sunshine and Succulent Snow!

Today is a beautiful day in the upper Midwest and a fantastic day to be on the ski trails. It is about 28 degrees and sunny. After three to four inches of snow the past couple of nights the Elver Park trails were in terrific shape. They were well-groomed, and I encountered very little ice and even fewer people.

This year's Birkie is tomorrow, and next year's race is 366 days away. Today made things very obvious-I have some work in front of me. This was my longest ski of the year - just over 10 km, and it took just under an hour. One year from tomorrow I will need to ski five times further than I went today. That is one scary thought. Today I struggled often, yet stayed focused on my strides and my breathing and was able to hang in there until the end. Considering that next February I hope to ski the 50 km in about four hours, I am not even close to where I want to be.

But most importantly I have a plan: live an active lifestyle. Keep getting outside, keep moving, keep gaining strength, keep fighting for fitness.

Wisconsin Winterland

Trying to stay fit during Wisconsin winters is no easy task. I have skied several times this winter, but remaining consistent is the biggest challenge. Each day I try to do something. If the weather is inviting I will slap on the skis, or take a two mile jog -- just enough to keep the legs and the lungs in shape -- or sometimes I will just take the dog around the neighborhood park. When the weather is too cold and uninviting I will lift some dumb bells, or pull on the rowing machine for about 30 minutes. But other than the skiing, none of these activities challenge my soft, aging body.

I look forward to March and to spring ... to cruising through Elver Park with the dog. Elver is a fantastic urban park, one perfect for the locals trying to get fit. The widely cut ski trails will become a terrific off-road training ground; the steep sledding hill will become a great place to improve strength and endurance; the flats are plentiful enough where I will be able to work on speed.

But today I only dream about spring...for the fourth straight night we got at least an inch of snow and more is predicted tonight. I will take advantage of the snow on my day off this Friday, but really, at this point, I want warmth and sunshine and dry ground. Next year, as I train specifically for the Birkie, I will welcome the snow, but today I look forward to starting my dry-land training.

The Countdown Begins!

Today is my 50th birthday, only 372 days until the The American Birkebeiner. One year and seven days to get fit enough to ski 50 km's. Here we go!